Cushioning arrangement for railway car

ABSTRACT

A railway car underframe includes at each end thereof an end-ofcar cushioning installation including a hydraulic cushion which is movable between neutral, draft and buff positions during impacts on the coupler. The arrangement includes a cushion pocket having a piston rod anchored therein against longitudinal movement and includes a stop which in the buff position is engaged by a sliding collar slidingly supported on the cushioned cylinder and which is retained against the stop by means of a coil spring held captive on the cylinder. Under conditions of draft impact the cushioned cylinder during longitudinal movement compresses a plurality of spring leaves supported in the pocket and the collar is moved longitudinally away from the stop arrangement.

United States Patent Inventor Willis l-l. Knippel Palos Park, Ill.

Appl. No. 883,087

Filed Dec. 8, 1969 Patented Dec. 28, 1971 Assignee Pullman Incorporated Chicago, Ill.

The portion of the term of the patent subsequent to Aug. 17, 1988, has been disclaimer].

CUSHIONING ARRANGEMENT FOR RAILWAY CAR 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

u.s. Cl 213/8, 213/22 1m.c| B61g 9/16 FieldofSearch 213/8,43, 22, 50, 50.5

' Primary Examiner- Drayton E. Hoffman Anorneysl lilmond O. Vogel and Wayne Morris Russell ABSTRACT: A railway car underframe includes at each end thereof an end-of-car cushioning installation including a hydraulic cushion which is movable between neutral, draft and buff positions during impacts on the coupler. The arrangement includes a cushion pocket having a piston rod anchored therein against longitudinal movement and includes a stop which in the buff position is engaged by a sliding collar slidingly supported on the cushioned cylinder and which is retained against the stop by means ofa coil spring held captive on the cylinder. Under conditions of draft impact the cushioned cylinder during longitudinal movement compresses a plurality of spring leaves supported in the pocket and the collar is moved longitudinally away from the stop arrangement.

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PATENTEDUECZBISYI 3.630.333

SHEET 1 0F 3 INVEN TOR 'WILL/ S H K IPPEL ATT' Y PATENTEuntczeisn 3.630.333

SHEET 2 0F 3 INVENTOR WILLIS HQ KNIPPEL ATT'Y.

PATNIEB 0:228:97: 3 330 3 SHEET 3 (1F 3 INVEN TOR WILLIS H. NIPP L W ATT'Y.

CUSHIONING ARRANGEMENT FOR RAILWAY CAR This application is related to applicants copending application Ser. No. 882,941 filed Dec. 8, 1969, which was issued Aug. 17, 1971 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,802.

SUMMARY It is a prime object of this invention to provide an improved end-of-car cushioning unit wherein the cushion pocket is provided with stops which anchor the piston rod against longitudinal movement. During movement of the cushion to a buff position a sliding collar engages a second stop within the pocket and compresses a spring which is coiled about the cushion cylinder. The cylinder also contains a fixed retainer ring which during movement of the cylinder to a draft position moves the collar out of engagement with the last mentioned stop.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view showing one end of a railway car having an underframe provided with a cushion pocket including an endof-car cushion;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the cushioning arrangement shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-'4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the cushioning arrangement in a buff position; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the cushioning arrangement in a draft position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A railway car 10 is provided with a conventional deck 11 having an underframe including a center sill structure 12. The center sill structure 12 includes a pair of longitudinally extending vertical webs 13 which extend substantially the length of the car underneath the deck 11. A bottom plate 14 connects the webs 13 and each cushion housing 15 includes an end-of-car cushion pocket designated at '16. The cushion housing 15 comprises a pair of vertical webs 17 having a top plate 18 and a bottom plate 19. Angles 20 securely connect the bottom plate 19 to the vertical webs 17. A front stop arrangement 21 connected to removable plates 22 are supported on the vertical webs 17 and project into the cushion pocket 16. Suitable housing structures 23 partially enclose the stop plates 22, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A stop 24, as best shown in FIG. 5, extends transversely and is supported on the vertical web 17. The pocket 16 includes an end-of-car cushion unit 25 comprising a cylinder 26 from which a tubular piston rod 27 projects. The cushion unit 25 includes a conventional piston assembly (not shown) and is of the double-acting type in that cushioning is obtained upon both buff and draft impacts. As indicated, the present cushion unit 25 also includes a flexible or resilient accumulator or boot assembly 28. The end of the piston rod 27 is connected to a piston 29 reciprocal within the cylinder 26, as indicated in FIG. 1. As best shown in FIG. 4, the cylinder 26 also supports a metering pin 30 which is effective with the tubular piston rod 27 to provide for substantially constant force travel during the operation of the cushion unit 25. A double-acting cushion of the type disclosed in Reissue U.S. Pat. No. 26,472 patented Oct. 1, 1968 may be utilized with the herein disclosed invention.

The end of the piston rod 27 is suitably connected to an end connector plate arrangement 31 which is maintained against longitudinal movement in one direction by means of a stop 24. The cylinder 26 is provided at its other end with a connector plate 32 adapted to engage a pair of spring leaf assemblies 33 and to compress the same during draft impacts upon the cushioning unit 25. As best shown in FIG. 3, the spring leaf assemblies are maintained in the cushion pocket 16 by means of the stop arrangements 21 and upper and lower retainer members 34 supported within the cushion pocket 16 on the cushion housing 15.

The end connector plate 32 has connected thereto a yoke 35 which pivotally supports a coupler shank 36 for swinging movement by means of a swivel pin 36, as best shown in FIG. 3. A pillow block 37 is supported within the yoke 35 and is adapted to be engaged by the end of the coupler shank 36. The pivotal connection provided by the pin 36' and the shank 36 is sufficiently loose so that the coupler may move within narrow limits against and away from the pillow block 37 depending upon the type of impact to which it is subjected. The ends of the vertical webs l7 flare outwardly and are provided with a bell-mouth type of housing 38. As best shown in FIG. 4, a U-shaped stop member 39 is secured to the web 17 and top plate 18. One end of the stop member 39 is provided with a stop portion 40 which is in engagement with the end connector plate arrangement 31 to firmly maintain the piston rod 27 against longitudinal movement. The other end of the U- shaped stop member 39 is provided with a stop portion 41 engaged by means of a sliding collar 42 which encircles the cylinder 26 and is retained on such cylinder by means of a circumferentially extending ridge or retainer 43. A coil spring 44 is held captive between the collar 42 and the connector plate arrangement 32.

THE OPERATION FIG. 1 discloses a double-acting end-of-car cushion unit 25 in a neutral position wherein the collar 42 is in engagement with the stop portion 41. In this position the end connector 32 is in engagement with the spring leaf assembly 33 which is in engagement with the stops 21. In FIG. 5 the cushion unit 25 is shown in a buff position where upon a buff impact on the coupler shank 36 causes engagement of the shank 36 with the pillow block 37 moving the connector plate 32 and cylinder 26 to the left to a closed position. In this position the collar 42 remains stationary against the stop portions 41 and the cylinder 26 slides through the bore of the collar 42 to the position indicated, compressing the spring 44. After the impact the spring 44 returns the unit to its neutral position.

In the event of a draft impact, as shown in FIG. 6, the connector plate 32 moves to the right compressing the spring assembly 33 against the stops 21 and the cushion unit 25 cushions the said draft impact. After the draft impact ceases the spring leaf assembly 33 then returns the cylinder 26 to the neutral position. As best shown in FIG. 5, during the said draft impact the collar 42 is moved out of engagement with the stop portion 41.

I claim:

1. In a railway car underframe including a hollow open end center sill structure, a cushioning arrangement supported at each end of said sill, each comprising:

a hydraulic cylinder including a reciprocable piston rod and piston assembly,

said cylinder in an extended position having said rod projecting longitudinally outwardly form one end thereof,

a first stop spaced from the end of said center sill,

said piston rod having a first connector plate engaging said first stop to restrict longitudinal movement of said plate in one direction,

second stop means on said sill engageable with said first connector plate for restricting longitudinal movement of said piston rod in an opposite longitudinal direction,

said cylinder including a second plate adjacent the opposite end of said cylinder,

a yoke connected to said second plate and having a coupler assembly pivotally connected thereto,

third stop means on said center sill supported on opposite sides of said yoke within said sill,

spring means associated with said third stop means and engageable by said second plate,

a collar encircling said cylinder and having a bore accommodating movement of said cylinder longitudinally,

fourth stop means on said sill disposed between said second stop means and said collar, said collar engaging said fourth stop means during movement of said cylinder to a buff position, and

a coil spring captive between said collar and said second connector plate.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said spring means comprising a plurality of spring leaves.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

a fifth stop means comprising a ring rigidly connected to an outer surface of said cylinder adjacent the open end thereof.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said second and fourth stop means comprising a single member connected within said center sill with said second and fourth stop means being disposed at opposite ends thereof.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4,

said spring means including a plurality of arcuate spring leaves compressed against each other in the draft position of said cylinder.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 5,

said cylinder having a relatively long travel to said buff position and a relatively shorter travel to said draft position.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

including a fifth stop means on said cylinder engaging said collar during movement of said cylinder to a draft position and to move said collar from engagement with said fourth stop means. 

1. In a railway car underframe including a hollow open end center sill structure, a cushioning arrangement supported at each end of said sill, each comprising: a hydraulic cylinder including a reciprocable piston rod and piston assembly, said cylinder in an extended position having said rod projecting longitudinally outwardly from one end thereof, a first stop spaced from the end of said center sill, said piston rod having a first connector plate engaging said first stop to restrict longitudinal movement of said plate in one direction, second stop means on said sill engageable with said first connector plate for restricting longitudinal movement of said piston rod in an opposite longitudinal direction, said cylinder including a second plate adjacent the opposite end of said cylinder, a yoke connected to said second plate and having a coupler assembly pivotally connected thereto, third stop means on said center sill supported on opposite sides of said yoke within said sill, spring means associated with said third stop means and engageable by said second plate, a collar encircling said cylinder and having a bore accommodating movement of said cylinder longitudinally, fourth stop means on said sill disposed between said second stop means and said collar, said collar engaging said fourth stop means during movement of said cylinder to a buff position, and a coil spring held captive between said collar and said second connector plate.
 2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said spring means comprising a plurality of spring leaves.
 3. The invention in accordance with claim 1, a fifth stop means comprising a ring rigidly connected to an outer surface of said cylinder adjacent the open end thereof.
 4. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said second and fourth stop means comprising a single member connected within said center sill with said second and fourth stop means being disposed at opposite ends thereof.
 5. The invention in accordance with claim 4, said spring means including a plurality of arcuate spring leaves compressed against each other in the draft position of said cylinder.
 6. The invention in accordance with claim 5, said cylinder having a relatively long travel to said buff position and a relatively shorter travel to said draft position.
 7. The invention in accordance with claim 1, including a fifth stop means on said cylinder engaging said collar during movement of said cylinder to a draft position and to move said collar from engagement with said fourth stop means. 